


Donghyuck's Super Services

by Do_Droca



Series: The Wonderful Joys of Parenthood [4]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Parents, Attempt at Humor, Comedy, Dad!Jaehyun, Dad!Taeyong, Family, Family Dynamics, Family Shenanigans, Humor, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is a Little Shit, Multi, Parenthood, Stressed Lee Taeyong, Tae just wants a new fridge, is that too much to ask, kid!donghyuck, kid!jaemin, kid!jisung, petty Jaehyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25921159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Do_Droca/pseuds/Do_Droca
Summary: Jung Taeyong is on the verge of a mental breakdown. Perhaps letting Seo Donghyuck in his house is the lesser of two evils if the alternative is dealing with a leaking refrigerator for another week and a husband who doesn't seem to hear a thing he is saying.Or: As long as their old fridge is still in semi-decent shape, Jaehyun won't buy a new one, so Taeyong pays Donghyuck to do what he does best—fuck shit up.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Taeyong, Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Series: The Wonderful Joys of Parenthood [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1749424
Comments: 47
Kudos: 327





	Donghyuck's Super Services

**Author's Note:**

> I am a terrible human being. Terrible, terrible, terrible.
> 
> I'm so sorry for going MIA, and not really updating as often I said I would, but man, 2020 really does suck ass. I hope you're all doing well, and you're all safe and healthy. 2020 is shitty, but it's gonna be even more shitty if you let it be.  
> On that note, here's shitshow part 4, hopefully it's gonna make your day a bit better. If not then... uh.. I have nothing else to offer. 
> 
> ps. a lil disclaimer to anyone that's new: you don't really need to read the previous parts of this series in order to understand what's going on. Honestly, none of it makes sense anyway

**Good Morning**

Monday mornings are the bane of Jung Taeyong's existence. Not only are they habitually the most hectic days at work, but they are also the days when his boys suddenly decide to become drop-outs, refusing to get out of bed and go to school. Dragging Jaemin out of bed on a Monday morning is such a physical challenge it leaves Taeyong with two days worth of muscle soreness, and no, it is not because Taeyong is weak. The problem lies in the fact the boy is now equally as tall and equally as heavy as him, and it takes more than a tug to get him out of bed.

Today was no exception. It took Taeyong 10 minutes to wake both boys up and make sure they _stay_ awake—it has happened on multiple occasions that one of them fell back asleep, which only resulted in them being late to school and Taeyong getting a nasty look from the teachers.

Since then, Taeyong makes sure they're up on their feet before he leaves their room.

Now he was limping into the kitchen, desperate for a glass of juice or something equally as sweet and cold, internally cursing Jisung and the Lego piece he stepped on when he walked into the boys' room earlier. There is a kid in his class called Chenle who is obsessed with Legos, and since Jisung is obsessed with him, he is by default obsessed with Legos too, much to Taeyong's dismay.

Jisung is a little pig, leaving his Legos all over the place, and considering the fact Taeyong steps on a piece at least once a day, one would think he'd get used to it. No. It is humanly impossible to get used to stepping on a Lego, and thus, Taeyong is limping and simultaneously cursing the day when he agreed on buying Jisung his first box. It was a grave mistake. 

Not paying attention to his surroundings proves to be yet another grave mistake, because if he were to be more attentive, he would have noticed the enormous puddle of water in his kitchen, and not step into it with his cute pink sock.

Then again, it _is_ Monday. Something like this was bound to happen, he tells himself.

The water soaks the material within seconds, and Taeyong stands there with his eyes closed, one foot in the puddle, going through the breathing exercises Ten taught him so he would not start screaming at 6 in the morning.

The refrigerator is leaking again.

Well, technically, it is not leaking _again_. It _is_ leaking— _has_ _been_ leaking for a couple of months already, flooding the kitchen every other day, and Taeyong is sick and tired of it. Just last week, Jisung ran into the kitchen to grab a banana, only to end up flat on his ass after slipping, and the scream he let out made Taeyong believe the boy broke a bone or something, which fortunately was not the case. There is still a bruise blooming on his tush, though—his right cheek, to be precise—deep purple in the center that gradually fades into something akin to green, and the boy has to sit with all of his weight on his left asscheek, leaning to the side like the Tower in Pisa. It is kind of a funny sight Taeyong has to admit, but the fact Jisung could have easily crushed his coccyx when he fell haunts him, so he can't laugh even if he tries.

"Dad?"

Jaemin's voice cracks, and he promptly starts coughing, one of his hands flying to his neck on instinct. Taeyong turns around to look at him, accidentally stepping into the puddle with his other dry, sock-clad foot as well. Something within him dies at that moment, but he does not let it show.

"What is it?"

"There's no hot water," he informs flatly. "Appa turned the water heater off again."

" _Why would he_ —Oh, God, I can't deal with this," Taeyong puts his face in his hands and closes his eyes, already sensing an upcoming headache.

Taeyong knows his husband is a sensible man, for the most part, at least, so he does not understand where the irrational fear of water heaters stems from. _It's a barrel of steaming-hot water ready to explode_ , Jaehyun says. _A bomb disguised as an appliance_.

Well, Jaehyun can shower outside with a garden hose, for all that Taeyong cares. He sure will not be taking a cold shower and freezing his ass off because the other is scared of an oversized kettle. 

"Turn it back on," he tells the boy and carefully steps out of the puddle, immediately taking the wet socks off his now pruney feet. "If he wants to shower in cold water, there's a nice, functioning hose outside. No one is stopping him. Hell, I'll even turn on the sprinklers if he wishes so."

Jaemin stares at him and then looks at the puddle next to him. He does not comment, already used to the refrigerator flooding the kitchen. "We gotta leave in half an hour, though. I don't think the water's gonna get warm enough in such a short time."

Taeyong tiptoes towards the sink, pulling a mop from underneath it. "Then drown yourself in Axe, and take a shower later. Don't act as if you've never done it before. I know you sometimes pretend to take a shower so you could copy Jeno's homework in the bathroom instead, which, while we're at it, I told you a million times before not to do. What are you gaining from copying someone else's work? Nothing. You should do your homework yourself."

"Dad," Jaemin rolls his eyes.

"If it really bothers you that much, least be smart and ask Jeno if you two could do your homework together," the man says as he mops the floor. "At this pace, Jisung's going to find a girlfriend before you two start dating, and the kid still thinks girls have cooties."

Jaemin's offended response gets interrupted by Jisung's arrival. "Yeah," the 13-year-old agrees with his father. "Get your shit together, Nana."

Taeyong stops moping for a second, staring at his younger son, processing what exactly left his mouth. In the end, he decides Monday mornings are too much to deal with, and he gives up.

"Yeah, Nana. You should really get your shit together."

**An Idea**

Taeyong ends up being late to work, but luckily, half of his office seems to be late, too, so no one notices him crawl into his cubicle half an hour after his shift has started. Baekhyun is screaming at his computer again when Taeyong makes his presence known, and all he gets as a response is a grunt.

"Mondays, right?" Taeyong laughs, though he does not know where he found the energy to do so. Baekhyun kicks the CPU under his table with vigor, and his monitor finally lights up.

"Fucking Mondays," the man agrees and drowns his coffee in one go, putting the paper cup aside. There are at least a dozen cups scattered across his desk, and Taeyong is quite sure some have been there since last year. "Taemin said he overheard the Boss talking with some important dude over the phone, and that according to the files and documents he's been asking him to find, there's a big chance we might be merging our companies."

"Wonderful," is all Taeyong has to say. He can already see himself working overtime.

"Tell me about it," Baekhyun huffs. "I'm this close to quitting," he says and then even provides a visual example by pressing his index finger and thumb together so there is absolutely no space left between them, not even for god.

"Does that mean you're quitting?" Taeyong asks as he turns on his computer.

"I fucking wish. I've got three kids, Taeyong, and two of them are definitely going to college. Thank God Minwoo is dumb, I don't think I'd be able to pay for his, too."

The conversation dies there, and they busy themselves with work. Later when it is time for a break, Taeyong realizes he forgot to bring his lunch. After a brief run through his drawers, he finds an open pack of stale crackers that were probably sitting there since last week, and he winces. Well, it is either that or the disgusting croissants from the cafeteria, and Taeyong knows how to pick his battles. He throws one in his mouth and chews with a grimace.

"What, no salad this time?" Baekhyun asks, bits of meat falling out of his mouth into the container he has in his lap. There are already a couple of grease stains on his dress shirt even though he had just opened the thing, and Taeyong wonders how on earth does his wife deal with him. Then again, Jaehyun is messy too, so he really should not judge.

"I forgot. We had quite an eventful morning today, so lunch was the last thing on my mind," he explains. The more he looks at the crackers, the more he contemplates getting a croissant.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. The boys were uncooperative as per usual, the damn fridge flooded half of our kitchen again, and we had no hot water because Jaehyun decided to turn off the water heater, so safe to say, it was not a good morning."

Baekhyun frowns. "You still haven't bought a new fridge?"

"No," he says and throws the crackers back into the drawer. "I've been begging Jaehyun to buy a new one since April, and he keeps telling me he's going to, but he never does."

"From what I've heard about the guy, I think you won't be getting one soon, Tae."

And that is true. Jung Jaehyun is a lovely man, but he has one huge flaw that makes Taeyong want to scream out of frustration—he is a procrastinator. That is the only thing Taeyong ever complains about to Baekhyun, and that is truly his only flaw aside from his tendency to shut their doors with such grace they fall off the hinges. Jaehyun is a procrastinator, and as long as the refrigerator is still running and in semi-decent shape, he is not going to buy a new one.

"I know. Honestly, I don't think he even cares? He doesn't even use the kitchen, so why would he be bothered if there is a pool of water in the middle of it. It's none of his business. But if one of his wine coolers broke down, though? That's a whole another story."

Baekhyun laughs. "You've got the patience of a saint, my friend."

"Not for long, though. I'll either cry or get in a fight with him."

"And if the fridge dies? Do you think he'd buy a new one then?" Baekhyun asks and shoves another piece of meat in his mouth.

"Probably. But I'm afraid that's not going to happen in the soon future."

Baekhyun hums. "Maybe it just needs a little push."

Taeyong squints. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, Tae. Don't be a wimp. Pull out a wire, break some random pipe. I seriously doubt it will take much for it to die."

"Baekhyun, you're nuts." And so is Taeyong.

**A Plan And a Pissed Off Man**

"Dad, you're nuts."

Jaemin does not even look up from his phone when he says it, but Jisung seems interested enough in his proposition, so it gives Taeyong enough confidence to keep going.

"Don't you two love to break things, though? I'm even giving you permission to do so."

"We don't break things on _purpose_ ," Jaemin explains with an eye roll. "How am I supposed to break a fridge?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure you'll find a way."

"Can't you just buy the new fridge yourself?"

The question offends Taeyong. "Jaem, I told your Appa we need a new fridge in April, and he _promised_ he'll buy a new one. It's a matter of the principle of the thing; if he promised, then it's his job. I'm not buying the damn fridge."

Jaemin finally tears his gaze from the phone screen and looks at his father, but only for a brief moment. Then he goes back to texting Jeno. "Why don't you ask Donghyuck?"

"Jaem, you're nuts."

Donghyuck is a walking disaster. Yes, Taeyong is sure he would get the job done, but at what cost? Not only would he break the refrigerator, but he would also probably ruin a good part of their kitchen as well. There is no way on earth Taeyong is letting Seo Donghyuck loose in his kitchen because if he were to do so, there would be no kitchen left in the end.

"Hyuck!" Jisung squeals, thrilled by the suggestion. "Yes! Let's call Hyuck."

"No."

" _But Dad_ ," Jisung whines, and Taeyong internally curses Jaemin for even mentioning such a stupid idea.

"No, Jisung. I'd still love to have a kitchen at the end of the day."

Jaemin rolls his eyes. "You're saying that as if Hyuck is going to level our house to the ground. It's Hyuck, dad."

"Exactly," Taeyong says, "it's _Hyuck_."

The conversation dies there. Taeyong continues to chop carrots for the soup while the boys lounge in the living room, waiting for Taeyong to finish making lunch. Jaehyun should be home any minute too, and Taeyong made sure to time when the turkey is going to be ready to get out of the oven so he could have a nice warm meal ready to serve. Jaehyun is usually easier to persuade to do something if his stomach is full, and Taeyong is _desperate_. It is his last chance to get a new refrigerator without having to butcher his old one.

But does it really have to be that way?

Jaehyun seems to be getting worse and worse with age. There is always something more important to do, some papers to review, some reports to write. Ten says he should consider himself lucky, though, because Jaehuyn at least does what he is supposed to do in the end (debatable), unlike their friend Yuta, or his other friend Kun who has so much on his plate the poor man keeps forgetting basic tasks such as picking up his kids from school. Unfortunately, Taeyong does not feel lucky at all. If anyone should feel lucky, it should be Ten. His husband Johnny is perhaps the most obedient man Taeyong has ever seen (and he bets it has to do something with the fact Ten is incredibly scary when he wants to be.)

Maybe Taeyong should become scary, too. Perhaps then would Jaehyun actually listen to him.

"Dad," Jisung calls out after some time. "Have you told Appa about the construction paper and glue?"

"I did, bub. Last night, and I reminded him about it this morning, too."

"I don't think he bought it."

When Taeyong takes his gaze off the stove and looks towards the living room, he sees Jisung standing in front of the window that is facing the driveway. He can't see much due to the curtains, but he is sure that is his husband's car parked in front of the house because Taeyong dutifully parks his Chevy in the garage, and it is a clear sign the other came back from work.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't see him get anything else except his briefcase out of the car."

Taeyong presses his lips together. "Oh, I'm so going to give him a piece of my mind when—"

" _I'm home_!"

As per usual, Jaehyun slams the front door shut, causing it to rattle like Dorothy's farmhouse. The noise travels through the hall right into the living and dining area, and all three Jungs present briefly look at each other and shake their heads. Seriously, it is only a matter of time before the door falls off the hinges.

"Hello, beautiful," Jaehyun greets Taeyong as soon as he enters the room. As he walks towards the couch, he takes off his suit and throws it on the unoccupied armchair. Then he ruffles Jaemin's hair. "Jaems. Sungie," he greets the boys.

"Oh, come on," Jaemin swats his hands away. "Don't touch the hair."

"Pardon me. I forgot no one is allowed to touch your precious hair," Jaehyun teases. "Do you hear him, Tae? _Don't touch the hair_. Who would've thought that mere two months ago he agreed on getting his head shaved."

Taeyong is too angry at his husband to join him in tormenting their son. He is about to ask him about the construction paper when his younger son beats him to it.

"Appa," Jisung crosses his arms across his chest. "Where's my paper and glue?"

Taeyong can see the exact moment Jaehyun remembers he was supposed to buy it.

"Oh, Sungie," he says. "I forgot. I'll buy it tomorrow, I promise."

"But I need it tomorrow!" the boy cries out.

"Jaehyun, he's been raving about doing a project with Chenle for days now," Taeyong reminds the other man. "All he's been talking about is how he's going to go to Chenle's on Tuesday after school, which is, in case you're not aware, tomorrow. He needs the paper and glue _today_."

Jaemin scoffs and looks at Jisung, "I told you he'd forget."

His comment seems to be the last straw for Jaehyun.

"Have I not said I'm fucking sorry?" He asks, clearly pissed off. "But no, you all have to gang up on me. I'll get your damn paper, alright?"

It takes him about three seconds to leave the house, slamming the door shut during his departure even harder than he usually does just to show his irritation. Jisung wanted to stop him at one point, but a single look from Taeyong made him reconsider his actions. If Jaehyun wants to act like a child and throw tantrums, then they should let him be. He is old enough to make his own choices.

"Well, that could've gone better," Jaemin comments after his father's car gets out of sight.

"He's being an ass," is what Taeyong replies.

Jisung continues to stand by the window, looking at the street with a pout on his face. Taeyong turns off the stove and stirs the soup, calling the boy to come over, busying him before he gets the chance to feel bad about what happened.

"Set the table, please," he tells him, pulling the turkey and the potatoes out of the oven.

Jaemin peeks from behind the couch. "We're eating without him?"

"Yes," Taeyong confirms.

Later, when they're all at the table done with their food and Jaehyun is still nowhere to be seen, Jaemin purses his lips and looks at Taeyong.

"I don't think asking about the fridge would be a smart move today."

**Last Resort**

Jung Jaehyun is a little shit.

That is what Taeyong has been repeating under his breath ever since he woke up. He and Jaehyun rarely get into an argument, but when they do, all hell breaks loose, and Taeyong is usually the one to get the short end of the stick. Last night when Jaehyun finally grew some balls to come back home, he and Taeyong ended up having a whisper-screaming match in their bedroom. Safe to say it did not end up well.

The thing with Jaehyun is that in contrast to his calm and sensible everyday persona, a mad Jaehyun is an absolute pain in the ass. An immature prick. A child.

" _Dad_ ," Jaemin yells from the bathroom down the hall, "there's no hot water again!"

And oh, does Taeyong know that. He's been standing in his en-suite for five minutes now, staring at his partially wet hair through the mirror with a frown on his face, going through Ten's breathing exercises to prevent himself from screaming. There was just enough warm water to fool Taeyong into stepping into the shower, and then, after a couple of seconds, a stream of neverending cold water came down on him.

"I know," he yells back.

Jung Jaehyun is a little shit. Not only did he hog the covers all night, but he dared to turn off the water heater in the morning again, intentionally or unintentionally bringing their kids into the argument as well. Knowing him, he did not even think that far, probably pleased with himself for fucking with Taeyong, not taking into consideration their water heater supplies both their and the main bathroom as well.

So now, not only Taeyong but both of their sons have no warm water.

 _Thanks for the surprise, Jaem and Sungie are thrilled_ , he sends the other a text and then puts his phone on airplane mode, not wanting to hear a response from the other. He quickly dries his hair a bit with a towel and throws on some clean clothes before leaving his bedroom. In the hallway, he finds Jaemin leaning against the wall, his phone in his hands. There is nothing but a frown and a pair of spiderman boxers on him.

"You're up quite early," Taeyong comments after realizing.

"I got up early so I could have enough time to take a shower and wash my hair," he answers, "which is clearly not happening."

"Ah, well. You can thank your Appa for that."

As he turns to head towards the staircase, Jaemin stops him.

"Dad," he says.

"What?"

"I really need that shower."

Taeyong runs a hand through his hair. "If we turn it on now, maybe you'll have enough water to take a quick shower before we go."

"Dad, you don’t understand!" he pushes himself off the wall, tiptoeing towards him with a worried look on his face. He casts a glance towards his room, continuing to speak only after hearing Jisung snore and being sure he is asleep. Then he whispers, "You can't tell this to anyone, but I have a date today, and I honest to god look like a literal turd right now. Like, I _really_ need to take a shower and wash my hair."

"Oh," is the only thing that leaves Taeyong's mouth at first. Then he leans closer, more curious than ever. "Is it Jeno?"

Jaemin and Jeno have been dancing around each other for so long even Dongyoung—Jeno's father—is sick and tired of it, and if Taeyong knows anything about his friend, that is that he is incredibly patient. The amount of tolerance Dongyoung had for Taeyong's antics back in college is incredible, so to hear him complain about his son's love life means things are seriously getting out of hand.

"Oh my god, dad, of course it's Jen," Jaemin confirms, turning red in an instant. "I thought about asking him if we could, you know, be official. Today, dad. _Today_."

"Oh," Taeyong says again. "So you want to dress up for your boy?"

"Fuck, dad," Jaemin cries. "Yes. I need to look good. Or at least not smell like an ass."

"Shit," Taeyong curses, and then covers his mouth with his hand. "Pretend you didn't hear that. Uh, I can warm up some water in the kitchen? You could wash up a bit with a towel, and then wash your hair in the washbasin."

" _Please_."

Oh, to hell with Jung Jaehyun. He will not ruin his baby's precious plans, not on Taeyong's watch.

With a huff, he runs downstairs, skipping multiple stairs on his way. It would be smart to warm up some water for Jisung, too, he thinks to himself as he jogs down the hallway. A bit later, though. It is still too early to wake the boy up. 

Worrying about which pot he should use to warm up the water, he does not notice the big puddle that is covering the kitchen floor again, and he slips, barely catching himself before falling onto his ass. In the process, he knocks over the bowl of fruit someone stupidly placed right on the edge of the kitchen island, and it falls to the ground, bouncing off the floor a couple of times together with the apples and oranges that used to be in it. The sound echoes throughout the house.

"Dad?" Jaemin comes running down the stairs, halting in his steps after seeing Taeyong and the awkward pose he was in, holding onto the kitchen island by dear life. It is easy to put the pieces together. "Uh. Do you want me to go and grab a mop?"

Taeyong shakes his head, pulling himself into an upright position. He is about to say to bring him an old towel when something behind Jaemin catches his eye, and then he shakes his head again. He told Jaehyun a _million_ times not to do that.

"Give me that jacket."

Jaemin scans the living and dining area looking for the said jacket, only to freeze after seeing his father's Armani jacket thrown over the armchair. He turns around to look at Taeyong, pointing with his finger at the expensive piece of clothing. "This jacket?"

"Yes. Give me the damn jacket, Jaemin."

"But—"

" _Jaemin_."

Hesitantly, Jaemin hands over the black jacket, and as soon as it is in his hands, Taeyong throws it onto the ground without batting an eye. What's more, he starts stomping over it, dragging it over the floor, sweeping all of the water back towards the refrigerator before ramming the piece of clothing into the space underneath it, using it as a makeshift barrier. Hopefully, the fabric will soak in all of the future leakings. 

"Wow. He's going to kill you," Jaemin says in awe. That was an Armani jacket he shoved under the fridge.

"I don’t give a shit," Taeyong says, turning around and pulling a huge pot out of one of the cabinets. Last night when they were arguing, Taeyong made the mistake of mentioning the fridge, and Jaehyun's only response was ' _but it is working, right?'_

Not for long, Jaehyun, not for long.

"Jaem," he says, "tell Dongyuck to come over after school. I'll pick him and Jisung up after they're done with class."

Jaemin pauses. "You're seriously gonna let Donghyuck ruin the fridge?"

"If your Appa wants war, he'll get it."

**Donghyuck**

Seo Donghyuck used to be cute.

Taeyong vividly remembers their first encounter—he was nothing but a brazen heap of skin and bones, freshly out of the orphanage, sitting in Johnny's armchair as if he owns it after a mere day of living with the Seos. With a juice box in his left hand and a moon pie in his other, he scrutinized the two newcomers, and Taeyong had never felt more threatened by an 8-year-old. Still, Donghyuck was objectively cute, with his big eyes and his button nose and pouty lips. Taeyong was half-convinced Ten chose the kid based on his _aesthetic,_ but he could not have been more wrong.

As soon as Donghyuck got his hands on Taeyong's phone that day, he installed so many games his poor Blackberry crashed, and even a trip to the repair shop did not bring it back to life. Then, a week later when the Seos visited Taeyong and Jaehyun at their new place, Donghyuck accidentally dropped his stuffed toy into the toilet, and successfully flooded the whole bathroom. Taeyong could not even be mad at the boy, considering how hard he cried after Ten refused to let him keep the drenched toy Johnny had pulled out of the toilet.

Then, a couple of months later, Jaemin and Jisung came, and things got even messier. Five broken windows later, three flooded bathrooms, a bunch of broken appliances and numerous trips to the ER, Taeyong is sure of one thing:

Seo Donghyuck used to be cute, but he is definitely not cute anymore. _Especially_ not now, materialized on top of the hood of Taeyong's Chevy out of nowhere, a crazy grin on his face. 

"Jesus Christ!" Taeyong screams, surprised by the boy's sudden arrival. His heart feels as if it is going to jump straight out of his chest, and he subconsciously lays a hand over his chest to make sure it does not. Donghyuck continues to lie tummy flat on the hood, staring at Taeyong through the windshield glass with the biggest smile on his face, and Taeyong groans as soon as he gets a hold on himself.

He rolls down his window.

"You fool," he yells instead of a greeting. "Get off my car! It's dirty, you're going to ruin your uniform!"

All Donghyuck does is guffaw, and then roll over onto his back, wiggling around the hood like a crazy worm. People are looking at them, but it seems as if Taeyong is the only one bothered by the audience, at least judging by Donghyuck's giggles. Then again, Donghyuck _does_ thrive off attention.

"Come on, Donghyuck, get in the car."

To Taeyongs great surprise, the boy complies. He gets in, throws his backpack onto the back seat, and then looks at Taeyong with the sleaziest smile possible. "A little birdie told me you require my services."

And there comes the headache. " Can't you just—you know what? Nevermind. Where's Sungie?"

Donghyuck nods his head towards the school's entrance. "He's with that Chenle kid. Said he got some project to do? They're waiting for the kid's chauffeur."

Oh, right. Jisung is spending his afternoon at Chenle's. "I guess it's just you and me, then."

"Me, you, and Pablo," Dongyhuck corrects.

"Who's Pablo?"

"A stick, but alive. I stole him from the terrarium when our biology teacher was not looking." He immediately twists his body and reaches for his backpack, pulling out a Tupperware container filled with grass. Taeyong is in dire need of a pair of glasses, so it takes him a bit to figure out there is a moving stick within the container, and he immediately leans away from it.

"Donghyuck!"

"He's fine," he brings the container closer to his face, examining the condition of his new pet. "I poked a couple of holes into the lid and threw in some grass. That should do until I bring him back home. I built such a sick terrarium for him, dude's gonna have a blast."

Taeyong continues to stare at the boy, waiting for further explanation, but all Donghyuck does is put the container with the insect back on top of his backpack, pull his phone out of his pocket, and start playing some shooting game. In the end, Taeyong gives up, asking him to buckle up, and they're off.

The ride back home is silent save for the occasional gun noises coming out of Donghyuck's phone. He does not talk about his day like Jaemin usually does, nor does he complain about schoolwork as Jisung does. Donghyuck plays his game, and that is pretty much it, and Taeyong would be a fool if he were to complain.

"So, you plan on telling me what's going on, or?" Donghyuck asks as soon as they enter Taeyong's house, and it becomes evident the boy is not here to chit-chat.

Instead of answering, Taeyong leads him into the kitchen and points a finger towards the refrigerator. Jaehyun's Armani is still stuffed underneath it, completely soaked up. There is water all over the place.

"Uh," Donghyuck eloquently begins. "You want me to fix your fridge?"

"No. The opposite, actually."

"You want me to break it?"

"Yes, Donghyuck. I _need_ you to break it."

Donghyuck bites his lip, looks at the fridge, then at the Armani jacket, then back at the fridge, then at Taeyong. "And uncle Jaehyun? What does he say about this?"

"Nothing," Taeyong says, tiptoeing around the puddle so he could reach his pantry. He pulls out two cans of soda, and hands one to Donghyuck who only suspiciously squints at him. "Are you in or not?"

Donghyuck purses his lips. "What's it in for me?"

"What do you mean?"

"What's it in for me?" he repeats.

Taeyong stares at him for a couple of seconds, and the boy stares back at him. "I'll give you 10 bucks," he says in the end.

Donghyuck tilts his head to the side, clearly not too satisfied with the offer. Taeyong mentally curses. "10 bucks and a bag of Cheetos," he tries again. Donghyuck pretends to think about it.

"That's one hell of a lousy offer, but you're family, so I'll make an exception," the boy answers, and Taeyong barely resists the urge to smack him. Donghyuck strides over to the fridge, opens it, then scans the insides. "So, my best guess is that you want this to be discreet?"

"That would be lovely, yes."

The grin on Donghyuck's face is just about mildly upsetting.

**Farewell**

It takes about half an hour for Donghyuck to ruin the fridge, and Taeyong must admit he is impressed, although all Donghyuck did is turn it on and off repeatedly while simultaneously playing a game on his phone. It is a genius idea, short-circuiting the thing, and Taeyong feels quite stupid for not thinking of it himself.

Then again, Taeyong does not break things as a hobby, as Donghyuck does.

"It's dead, chief," Donghyuck informs him, leaning against the side of it, listening for any sign of life. Not a whirr is coming out of it.

"Oh, thank god," Taeyong says, letting out a breath he was not even aware he was holding in. Finally, it is dead. Finally, he will get a new fridge.

"Not to burst your bubble, but what are you going to do with the food? Are you going to buy a new one today?"

Taeyong freezes at the boy's question. Shit, what will he do?

"Uh," he scratches the back of his head, "I'll call Jaehyun? I should call Jaehyun, yeah." And tell him to buy the fridge before he comes home and sees his wet Armani jacket. He might be mad at Taeyong now, but he will definitely be madder if he finds the drenched jacked shoved beneath the fridge.

Donghyuck lifts a single brow. "Whatever you say, dude. I should get going, though. Give me my money."

The man rolls his eyes at the boy's command but hands him the money nonetheless. Donghyuck then proceeds to stand glued in his spot, almost as if he is expecting something else as well. It takes a while for Taeyong to remember the Cheetos.

"Here you go, you demon," he throws the pack to the boy, and leads him towards the front door. "Now, shoo. Go home."

Donghyuck, again, does not move from his spot, and he chooses to stare at Taeyong instead of leaving. The man shifts in his place, uncomfortable under the boy's gaze. What makes everything even worse, Donghyuck is now as tall as him—perhaps even taller—so it is easy to maintain eye contact, and Taeyong hopes he does not look as uncomfortable as he feels.

After what feels like an eternity, Donghyuck finally speaks up. "You do realize I need a ride home, right?"

That pulls Taeyong back to reality. He scurries back inside. "Oh, yeah. Let me just grab my keys and we can go."

Donghyuck scoffs. "Jaemin was right. You are a mess."

And Taeyong is a mess, alright. He sent a text to Jaehyun immediately after dropping Donghyuck off at his place, telling him the fridge broke down, and still no answer. That was an hour ago. What is even better, Taeyong knows Jaehyun saw the text, just like he saw the one from the morning and yet, nothing. Absolutely nothing.

And Taeyong is nervous.

He is home alone, for Jisung managed to cry his way into staying a bit longer at Chenle's, and Jaemin… Well, Taeyong is not sure he wants to know what Jaemin is doing, but according to Dongyoung (who's been GPS tracking Jeno for years now) the couple is still at the ice cream shop across from their school. 

So Taeyong is home alone, curled up on his couch, contemplating whether or not to call Jaehyun. Now that the damn fridge is dead and he is not angry anymore, he thinks about what has happened over the past couple of days with a clear head. They're not children anymore. If Jaehyun really is that upset over what Taeyong complained about last night, then they should talk it out. Clearly, both of them have something that is bothering them, so the only way to sort it out is to address it.

Easier said than done, though. Taeyong hates confrontations.

But Taeyong also hates petty prick Jaehyun, which seems to be his husband's current default mode, and he loathes fighting with him.

So Taeyong does what he has to do and calls him.

"Come on," he mumbles, waiting for the call to go through. "Answer your phone, you ass."

The phone rings and rings and Taeyong is about to hang up when Jaehyun finally decides to answer.

" _What_?" he says, and Taeyong can not decipher whether or not that was an annoyed, or a genuine _what_. He gulps.

"Hi. I—I was just wondering when you're going to be home," he says, biting his lip. "The kids are out, and I'm alone and, well—uh. Jae— I really don't want to fight. Can we talk? When you come home? I'm sorry about yesterday. I did not mean it when I said you care more about work than us..." he trails off, unsure whether or not they should have this kind of a conversation over the phone. There were a couple of really mean words exchanged between them yesterday, and though Taeyong is sure both of them were aware they said them purely out of the heat of the moment, he still wants to make sure Jaehyun knows he did not mean it.

" _Oh_ ," Jaehyun says, but it is barely hearable from the noise in the background. Could it be possible he is still at work?

"Oh," Taeyong repeats after him, albeit more dejectedly. "I can hear you're busy. Sorry for bothering you. I'll see you at home, then."

" _No, no_!" Jaehyun is quick to say. " _I'm at the mall! Looking for a fridge_."

And that sure is a surprise. "Really?" Taeyong asks, barely suppressing the surprise in his voice.

" _Yes. I_ —" Jaehyun clears his throat, " _I spoke with Jaemin an hour ago. I, uh, wasn't aware just how bothered you guys were by the fridge. I'm sorry. I thought you were exaggerating a bit. But obviously not. I mean, clearly not. It died. That's good enough proof it was faulty_."

Taeyong does not know what to say.

Jaehyun coughs. " _Listen, we'll talk later, okay? I'll be home soon_."

"Okay."

" _Good. Love you_."

"Love you, too."

And somehow, Jung Taeyong just got both a new fridge and his old husband back.

**Dry Cleaners**

A couple of days later, everything is back to normal. Taeyong is making breakfast in their, at last, _dry_ kitchen, humming a song under his breath, waiting for his boys to wake up. Jaehyun stumbles in a bit past seven with his briefcase in his hand, surprising Taeyong and subsequently making him drop the cucumber he was peeling out of his hands.

"Shouldn't you already be on your way?" he asks, checking the time once again. Usually, Jaehyun leaves for work around 6:50. 

"Yeah. I just—" he starts frantically looking for something around the living room, "I can't find _it_."

Taeyong freezes immediately, already knowing what his husband is looking for, but he asks nonetheless. "Can't find what?"

"My Armani," he says, still looking around. He is wearing the slacks but is missing the jacket. "I have this gut feeling I left it here, but I can't find it."

"I, uh," Taeyong coughs, "took it to the dry cleaners?" His statement sounds more like a question, and he is sweating like a whore in church. Like a stinky lying whore in church.

Jaehyun halts in his movements. "Why would you do that?"

Taeyong is a terrible, terrible man. "There was a stain I couldn't get rid of myself, but since I know how much you love that jacket, I took it to the dry cleaners."

It takes a while for Jaehyun to take in the information, but when he does, he smiles, his dimples on full view. "Tae, you're the best," he says, running towards him to give him a smooch. "Thank you. I'll just wear Zegna then, no big deal."

"You're welcome?"

"I really have to go now, though, or else I'll be late. Love you!"

Taeyong squeaks a small _you too_ back, letting out a breath of relief after hearing the front door slam shut. Then, after he is sure Jaehyun has left the driveway, he crouches and frantically opens the cabinet underneath the sink. There, shoved in a neon green bucket, is a wet black heap of fabric Taeyong forgot to put in the washing machine, or to be more specific, a mildew Armani jacket.

**Author's Note:**

> If yall think i read through this then youre so fucking wrong. hope you enjoyed my unbetaed crap and disastrous grammar. oh wait! all of my shit is unbeataed with bad grammar lol ah whatever anyways, i just wanted to give a heads up and say the next two parts are going to be kid-centered, with hints of the overall family chaos 
> 
> PS. Fun fact: this was, once again, based on a true story, and guess who just got a brand new fridge (: after a year of torture (:


End file.
